buffaloes

Buffaloes are large hoofed mammals in the Bovidae family. The term is used for two main groups: the African buffalo (Syncerus caffer), native to Sub-Saharan Africa, and the Asian buffalo, primarily the water buffalo (Bubalus bubalis), domesticated in South and Southeast Asia. A wild relative of the water buffalo, the wild water buffalo (Bubalus arnee), remains in parts of India and Nepal. The name buffalo is common in everyday usage but does not reflect a single close lineage.

African buffalo are robust, with a broad chest and strong legs. Males and females carry horns that typically curve outward and upward, meeting at a large boss on the skull. Water buffalo are generally larger, with long, curved horns that sweep outward and backward. Domestic water buffalo are commonly dark gray to black and may have variable hair length and a prominent dewlap.

African buffalo occupy savannas, woodlands, and grasslands across sub-Saharan Africa, often near water sources. Water buffalo prefer wetlands, rivers, swamps, and marshes in South and Southeast Asia; wild populations are fragmented and more threatened than their domestic counterparts. Both groups are herbivorous, feeding on grasses and aquatic vegetation, and they form social herds that can be large. They are typically diurnal, with movements tied to water availability and forage.

Humans use water buffalo for milk, meat, and draft power, making them economically important in many regions. African buffalo are protected in many reserves due to conservation concerns, while the wild water buffalo is considered endangered; domestic populations are widespread and unmanaged in some areas.